Broken Bonds
by Otakuchan88
Summary: After a failed attack against Orochimaru, Sasuke is left beaten, bruised and vulnerable in an empty clearing with no weapons or way to get back to the Sannin's hideout. When he is discovered by none other than his brother Itachi he is certain his life is over. What his big brother does instead leaves him confused, frustrated, and all the more heart broken. One-shot!


**A.N. I don't remember when I started writing this but I found it on my flash drive and decided to open it up and read it and it was, in my opinion, an unfinished little treasure. I couldn't just leave it the way I found it. So I revised it a bit and wrote it an ending so it'd be proper and complete. Then I thought, well why not upload it and...here we are.**

 **Broken Bonds**

 _"Why? Why did you do it?" I sobbed, dreading the answer._

 _"That's simple…to test my abilities."_

The frequently occurring nightmare halted abruptly as I awoke in a frantic, cold, sweat. I was panting and cleared my throat shakily in an attempt to catch my breath. With a heavily audible exhale I ran a quick tired hand through my sweat-soaked, and disheveled, hair…Then I rose haltingly from my bed and staggered across my dimly lit room, to the cracked mirror hanging on the wall.

As I squared my shoulders before the reflection I could not help but stare in disgust at the pitiful excuse of a man that peered back at me through blood shot eyes and a sweat/tear stained face. With a grumble I bent over and attempted to wash away the horrible feelings weighing down on me by splashing cold water, from the basin, on my face. I wished cynically that I could drown the dream out…forever. It wasn't possible to do that though...Let's just say I found that out the hard way.

Sleep has been hard to come by of late. More frequently now, than any other time I could remember. I turned, huffing as I threw the sheet from the bed and shed myself of the clothes I felt to be suffocating me.

Once my pants and sweat-drenched shirt found their proper place on the floor I collapsed back onto my bed and clutched the pillow to my face. Maybe I could smother myself into a peaceful sleep…

 _"You've always wanted to surpass me. That's why I'm going to let you live… if you wish to kill me, then hate me, despise me… and by all means flee, cling to your wretched life."_

 _My world seemed to spiral out of control and as I turned to run, I fell…_

 _Down, down, down…I fell onto the cold hard road. When I looked up…there he stood, looming over me. I sobbed helplessly as he spoke harshly…_

 _"When we battle, we should have the same eyes"._

I awoke in a jolt… screaming in enragement and frustration. I clenched my fists and held them to my face. The tears flowed freely without my say so though I clenched my eyes shut so tightly it hurt. It made me so angry...I wish I could be numb.

When I awoke next, I decided it was at a decent enough hour to consider morning. I exited the chamber that was my room, after redressing, and made my way to a favorable sitting spot.

It is not as if the spot were secluded where no one would find me…no. Exact opposite actually…the spot was in the open and well known to those who cared enough to make my business any of their knowledge. However it was a place I frequented, to allow my mind to think.

So I sat with my eyes closed in quiet meditation; until, _he_ showed up…I sensed his presence immediately but I did not move or show him any sign of recognition.

"Good morning…" He purred. "Didn't sleep well?"

"What should it matter to _you_?" I scoffed back in irritation.

He gave a sadistic chuckle, "You don't scream very quietly, Sasuke." His snake like eyes gleamed in amusement. He took pleasure in my suffering.

I scoffed and turned to see him standing a foot away from my perch. I kept my composure but I was in the least unnerved by how forward his actions seemed. Especially at so early a time in the morning as now. He smiled eerily at me and I frowned back in what I half hoped would be a gesture that conveyed indifference. In the back of my mind my thoughts nagged me into admitting that, despite my efforts, I failed horribly at being unaffected, indifferent, and numb. My efforts conveyed my exact feelings and thoughts plainly across my features. I felt nothing but intense irritation and loathing for the man before me.

I decided then that this person was not worthy to inhabit my body. Unworthy of my body and the power of the Sharingan that it promises it's harborer…Surely that power, of the once prestigious Uchiha clan, would only be wasted in the hands of this slithering slime ball.

I knew that Orochimaru wanted to absorb me into his body….I determined not to let him make a vessel of me though. As abruptly as he had appeared behind me I turned, pulled out my katana, and aimed a quick handed strike straight for his heart. I would end this now!

Orochimaru deftly deflected the blow using his arm and hand.

My eyes narrowed, "Tch."

He chuckled in his twisted way, "Oh Sasuke…Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. How do you _ever_ expect yourself to succeed in avenging your clan with such obvious attacks?"

The hand he had tightly gripping my arm turned sharply so my Katana arm was now being held painfully behind my back. In that same moment, he lifted his knee and used his free hand to slam my face into it. After that he released me to fall onto the floor, which I stubbornly refused to do.

I turned with a growl, as blood dripped down my face from the wound on my forehead, and shot him a menacing glare. Then, using my speed, I appeared directly at his left side with my blade readied for another quick strike.

The sannin was ready for me this time too though. Right when I landed to his left he kicked out with his left leg, quick as lightning, and succeeded in knocking my weapon from my hand. The second before I could recover, he suddenly had ahold of both of my wrists in his hands and twisted me so that my entire body was spun and thrown onto my back, knocking any oxygen I had in my lungs out.

I lay there gasping painfully with my eyes wide open and glassed over slightly. This was not the way this was supposed to play out! Dammit!

Then he took the opportunity to openly mock me by laughing sinisterly as he approached. He stood over me for a second then, grabbing me up by the front of my shirt, he jumped up and used an earth style technique to slither through the ceiling, with my limp form in tow.

We ended up in the open grass field of which the hideout was underneath. Once he had gained his footing and I my bearings, I took the opportunity to kick off of him. I freed myself of his grasp instantly using that momentum, and now hovered mid-air above him which was the perfect opportunity for my next attack.

"Fire style: Phoenix flower jutsu!" I called as flames burst forth from my mouth.

The snake countered with a water style jutsu that immediately neutralized my attack. When I landed back on my feet, he sent a handful of venomous snakes flying at me. I did not think but turned into a reflexive tuck and roll dodge to avoid their dripping fangs.

I halted into what was supposed to be a neat crouch but nearly lost my footing when I bumped into something, more like someone, to my left. Orochimaru had gotten beside me quick as a flash and I was left completely unguarded.

He kicked me in my upper thigh sending me sprawling and groaning. He simply chuckled at my pain.

"Oh Sasuke…have you not figured it out by now that you can never possibly win a fight with such obvious frontal attacks as the ones you use. You may _look_ the part but you're _not_ strong enough boy." He purred patronizingly as he stood over my battered form.

Then he took advantage of the situation and knelt beside me, emitting an eerie moan as he traced his fingers down my toned torso delicately; "Mmmm, It really is a pity. I _do_ want this body of yours Sasuke… but it seems you haven't proven yourself just yet." He slid his hand back up to stroke my jaw line and then stopped to hold my chin in his hand firmly.

I glared heatedly, and then spit at him…it came out bloody against the pasty skin of his face. "Keep your slimy hands off of me!" I growled through my glower.

Orochimaru gave a twisted smile even as his eyes darkened dangerously. "Now, now Sasuke." He admonished. "Come, that's enough training for today." He stood, and gestured, while turning as though to he were about to walk back to the hideout and was bidding me to follow after him obediently. He was very well aware of the state he'd left me in though and he rubbed it in by further mocking, "Oh, but my dear…you don't seem to be in a state of walking soon at all!" He faked a look of concern as his eyes danced merrily all the while. "I'll call for Kabuto to come and collect you. Do stay put, won't you?" He chuckled sadistically at that final jab; and was gone from my sight.

When I was absolutely certain that I had been left to my own devices and that the Sannin would not be making a reappearance, I sat up painfully. The tree line started about a couple of yards away. I could make my way there so I would not be lying as vulnerably as I was in the middle of the clearing.

Once I'd exerted all my energy into completing the task, I leaned myself up against a tree and waited for the four-eyed bastard, Kabuto, to show up.

He finally came after half an hour's time of waiting; the idiot took his sweet time most likely. We didn't say a single word in greeting when he appeared and he approached coldly; then went about deftly checking my body for what injuries I had sustained.

The medic tsked under his breath. "Seems he got you pretty bad this time. You're lucky though." He commented.

The fact that he felt it at all necessary to make such a comment grated on my nerves. I scoffed and replied while rolling my eyes, "Did I ask for your opinion?"

He was by now inspecting my legs at my upper left thigh where Orochimaru had kicked me. The bruise was right by the bone. He pressed it roughly then moved on seemingly losing his patience. He huffed and then stopped, his hands resting on my ankle.

"You know what? I don't care who you think you are! Last Uchiha or not, you will treat Orochimaru Sama with respect. And this whole little outburst or ambush or whatever the hell it was may have been nothing to Lord Orochimaru; but it won't fly with me!" His eyes flashed and his tone was positively livid.

"You need a serious attitude check kid, you got that!" With that, he took hold of my foot and literally twisted my ankle with his own two hands. "Good luck getting back to the lair by yourself! Oh and you better think twice next time you get the idea to just attack Orochimaru Sama like that, got it?" With those final words Yakushi Kabuto left me to fend for myself.

I scoffed, feeling affronted. The bastard treated me as if I were a snot nosed brat and not a fifteen year old shinobi…I huffed and leaned against the tree tiredly while making sure not to put pressure on my newest injury. My eyes slid closed easily and I decided to rest a bit.

My eyes opened but an hour later; they burned at the brightness of the light. I judged the time of day by the position of the sun in the sky. It was directly above actually, blinding me. I decided to scan the area surrounding me, namely the clearing that was dead ahead of me as I had only just made it to the outmost cluster of trees when I'd staggered over here earlier.

I could not see much at first but after placing my hand above my head to shield my eyes I could make out a black silhouette in the distance from the fuzzy white, which surrounded it.

The figure seemed to be coming closer and I did not think to be alarmed by it until it was within ten feet of me. I stood up as quickly as I could. However, I honestly felt as though I had scrambled to my feet, like a fool what with my twisted ankle and all.

The person, which stood before me, was the owner of the face that haunted my once pleasant dreams. He was the owner of the voice, which chased the sanity from my mind that night. The night many years ago but seemingly yesterday for me. The complete and utter mortification I felt when I realized I was missing my sword was indescribable. Basically, it felt like shit.

I stood before him in a seemingly defenseless state. My eyes burned with loathing as I growled out his name in abhorrent disgust, "Itachi…"

He didn't say a word for a while but simply looked me up and down. His eyes scanned my body and he seemed to be calculating something. He finally replied in the smoothest and coolest voice, "Hello…little brother."

"Come here to kill me finally; you wretched piece of filth!"

My outburst and hostility seemed to genuinely surprise him. It shocked even me that he had actually flinched at my scathing words. Of course the flinch was very minute and would have admittedly been microscopic to any other eye that might have been watching our exchange, however I know Itachi. I can read him even still after having been apart from him for so long.

"No." He blinked with a flutter of thick dark lashes.

It was one little word and yet it had been said so quietly. Perhaps I had imagined hearing it. Did he really just say..? "What!" my question came out as a hostile growl. I was still on edge. I was virtually unarmed. I was partially incapacitated. And I was plain sick and tired of people trodding all over me today.

"No I have not come to kill you today, brother." The cool tones from his initial greeting had vanished completely. When he called me his brother he didn't spit the word with malice or mocking. He spoke the word and it came out as though he were begging.

My eyebrows furrowed and a pucker of confusion formed between them. My whole face twisted into a look of confusion as I retracted on instinct. The attempted step backwards only served to press my back against the trunk of the tree behind me and agitate my twisted ankle. I hissed openly at the pain.

In a second Itachi was beside me. He took my arm in a gentle grasp and tugged on it in an attempt to guide me down the tree trunk toward the roots.

"What are you doing? Stop!" I shook him off me angrily.

He responded by taking a step back so he now stood two feet away from me. He raised his hands in a gesture that was meant to pacify me. "I only wish to help brother. Please…allow me to tend to your injury."

I stared back at him and I could not understand. What was he playing at here? What was his real intent? This had to be some sneaky ploy to get me to drop my guard completely and leave myself even more vulnerable to his attack. I tried to school my features into a look of contempt and disgust but my true feelings of utter confusion and albeit amazement at Itachi's actions thus far were making that extremely impossible for me.

Itachi seemed to take this as his cue. He began to inch his way forward again; his hands were still raised in a gesture of apparent surrender. As he slowly came to stand within a foot of me one of his hands began to move, very slowly as though he didn't want to startle me. It folded until only two of his fingers were pointing my way. Then they made contact softly with my forehead.

I flinched violently at the physical contact of Itachi's fingers prodding my furrowed brow. But the second he took them away, a strange feeling came over me. My look of confusion melted away into simply one of shock and I inhaled sharply, my lips parting to allow the breath to pass in soundly. My legs seemed unable to hold my weight anymore and I slid slowly down the trunk of the tree until my seat came into contact with the roots and dirt on the ground.

Itachi stood over me and he smiled softly.

Then I blinked.

When I opened my eyes after what I had assumed was just a blink I found myself all alone. I was sitting leaned up against the trunk of the tree and my legs were laid out straight out before me. I looked around myself quickly trying to find Itachi but he was nowhere to be seen. I really was all alone.

My gaze fell to my lap where my hands rested. I scanned my lower body and my sight stopped on the ankle of my left leg. The ankle Kabuto had twisted purposely to teach me a lesson. The shoe of that foot had been removed, and the ankle was wrapped perfectly. The bandage and the pressure it provided alleviated the ache I had previously felt throbbing in that ankle. But who would..?

Itachi! He had treated my injury just as he said he wanted to! But then why leave mysteriously afterward? Why would he just come looking for me just for this?! I felt my anger and confusion beginning to rise again.

"Itachi!" I screamed to the empty clearing. My voice broke at the end and I felt tears welling in my eyes. He had smiled at me…before I blacked out. It had been so warm and genuine. I missed that smile. "Damn you…" I cursed as I felt my chest ache in emotion.

"Sasuke!" A male voice called sharply.

I sat up quickly my tears and aching heart forgotten as the sound of a voice calling my name quickly elated my spirits. "Ita-!" My voice broke off quickly upon his appearance. My brother's name died in my throat.

Kabuto walked toward me briskly in the dusky light of the setting sun. His dark shadowy figure glowed as the last fiery rays of sunshine were extinguishing.

I scowled up at Orochimaru's four-eyed henchman.

"Well come on we don't have all night you know! Orochimaru Sama is quite displeased that you missed dinner." Kabuto chided annoyingly.

Whose idea was it to leave me here in this damned clearing by myself huh? I scoffed irritably at Kabuto's chastening words. With a roll of my eyes I stood up without his help, squared my shoulders proudly, and walked back to Orochimaru's hideout with only the occasional limp to hinder my stride.


End file.
